Hi Film Folk,

I’ve been fortunate enough to chat to so many cool guests while recording masterclasses for the Production Posse…
Producers, Directors, Costume Designers- all sorts of production roles.
People involved in huge blockbusters as Django Unchained, Shrek and Batman Begins to indie films such as Green Room, One Mile to You and Pi.

It’s always utterly fascinating and I’m so grateful to all my industry expert guests for taking time out of their busy schedules.

This month I’ve had in-depth discussions with Rachel House (talented actor and acting coach from films such as Thor Ragnarok, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Moana, Eagle vs Shark) and Marci Liroff (an elite casting director, producer and acting coach whose work includes Indiana Jones & The Temple of Doom, Blade Runner, Poltergeist and E.T. the Extra Terrestrial).

Both Rachel and Marci really know their stuff, and they offered me some really deep thoughts on the industry, acting, casting and getting the best performances possible.

One point came up twice, and I thought it was worthy of a blog (hence this blog!).

Us filmmakers are forever trying to get the best performances possible from our actors. I’ve known directors coach, push, prod, lie to, encourage, beg, trick, bribe and do anything and everything they can to get results…
The trouble is that acting is such a world away from what most filmmakers are used to doing, and typically it’s not something that we understand well enough.

So, why don’t we try some acting? I mean, it’s got to make life a lot easier when communicating with your actors, and they’ll have someone they can work with who truly understands the craft of acting. They’ll feel more comfortable and you’ll be able to communicate with them in a language they understand.

When you think about it, it’s a bit of a no-brainer… Would you want a tennis coach telling you what to do with your racket, if they’d never played the sport? How could they really understand it?

I propose that you look to do some acting. It doesn’t have to be with the goal of becoming a serious actor (if that’s not what you want). Perhaps some classes, possibly acting in some small project or just some rehearsals.

It’s all good practise, but classes are especially useful as you have the benefit of actually learning from someone who knows what they’re doing!

There are acting socities, groups and classes all over the world, but I would also highly recommend checking out Marci Liroff’s absolutely excellent classes and content…
You’re really dealing with the best there is, and you can find out more: www.marciliroff.com

As for the Production Posse, we’re still accepting Beta-users in the run up to our full launch…
You can find out more here.

Thanks for reading,

P.S.

The book is still coming guys… We’re just in the process of crafting our launch campaign. We’re getting there!!